1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an element manufacturing system for manufacturing a filter element.
2. Description of Related Art
In a previously proposed element manufacturing method for manufacturing a filter element, such as an oil filter element or an air filter element, a suction jig is immersed in a fiber solution. The fiber solution contains fibers (e.g., pulp fibers, polyester fibers or the like) dispersed in water. A negative pressure is exerted in the suction jig, so that the fiber solution are drawn into the suction jig, and fibers contained in the drawn fiber solution are captured, i.e., are accumulated on a surface of the suction jig to form the filter element. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary element manufacturing system 1 for implementing the previously proposed element manufacturing method.
With reference to FIG. 5, the element manufacturing system 1 forms a closed system, in which water is circulated. Furthermore, the element manufacturing system 1 includes a concentration adjustment unit 10, an element forming unit 20, a recovery unit 30 and a filtration unit 40. In the concentration adjustment unit 10, a concentration of the fiber solution is adjusted. In the element forming unit 20, the fibers, which are contained in the concentration-adjusted fiber solution 13, are accumulated on the surface of the suction jig 23. In the recovery unit 30, recovered water 25, which has been drawn and has been recovered through the suction jig 23, is reserved in a reservoir tank 31. In the filtration unit 40, the recovered water 25 to be returned from the recovery unit 30 to the concentration adjustment unit 10 is filtered through a filter.
The recovered water 25 contains fibers, which have passed through the suction jig 23. Thus, these fibers contained in the recovered water 25 will be accumulated on a surface of the filter of the filtration unit 40. In order to provide stable supply of the recovered water 25 to the concentration adjustment unit 10 and to prevent overflow of the reservoir tank 31, frequent cleaning of the filter of the filtration unit 40 is required.